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Dramatic Works

Donald Macleod is joined by Eric Saylor to discuss a significant area of Vaughan Williams鈥 output that he cared about deeply but which is often overlooked - his stage works.

Donald Macleod is joined by Eric Saylor to discuss a significant area of Vaughan Williams鈥 output that he cared about deeply but which is often overlooked - his music for the stage.

In the week of the 150th anniversary of Vaughan Williams' birth, Donald Macleod revisits a series of conversations he recorded earlier in the year with leading authorities on the composer. Each day he explores a new area of Vaughan Williams' life and music; shedding light on his central role in Britain's musical story, his posthumous impact and how we respond to him today. Part of Radio 3鈥檚 ongoing season, 鈥淰aughan Williams鈥 Today鈥, marking the composer's 150th anniversary year.

Today, Donald invites Eric Saylor, author to guide us through some of Vaughan Williams many dramatic works which include masques, pageants, incidental music for stage plays, 6 operas, several ballets, and incidental music scores for both radio and film. Together, they also consider Vaughan Williams鈥 enduring fascination with John Bunyan鈥檚 story Pilgrim鈥檚 Progress. Eric discusses the idea of English Pastoralism and whether we should view it as backward looking and na茂ve, or as a more progressive cultural movement.

In Windsor Forest (Falstaff And The Fairies)
Catharine Rogers, soprano
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
English Voices
Dmitri Ensemble
Sir David Willcocks, conductor

The Pilgrim's Progress: Act IV Scene 2 鈥淭he Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains: Who so dwelleth鈥(excerpt)
Gerald Finley, bass-baritone (The Pilgrim)
Roderick Williams, baritone (First Shepherd)
Mark Padmore, tenor (Second Shepherd)
Jeremy White, bass (Third Shepherd)
Royal Opera House Orchestra
Richard Hickox, conductor

The Pilgrim's Progress: Act III Scene 1 鈥淚 buy the truth!鈥 (excerpt)
Gerald Finley, bass-baritone (The Pilgrim)
Adrian Thompson, tenor (Lord Lechery)
Jonathan Fisher, bass (Demas)
John Kerr, baritone (Judas Iscariot)
Christopher Keyte, bass (Simon Magus)
Neil Gillespie, tenor (Worldly Glory)
Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus
Richard Hickox, conductor

Riders to the Sea (Where is she?)
Northern Sinfonia
Richard Hickox, conductor

Riders to the Sea (They are all gone now)
Linda Finnie, mezzo-soprano
Northern Sinfonia
Richard Hickox, conductor

Job 鈥 A Masque for Dancing (excerpt)
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Davis, conductor

Valliant for Truth
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Timothy Brown, director

Produced by Rosie Boulton

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    In Windsor Forest (Falstaff and the Fairies)

    Performer: Choir of Clare College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Dmitri Ensemble. Choir: English Voices. Conductor: Sir David Willcocks. Singer: Catharine Rogers.
    • Albion Records : ALBCD010.
    • ALBION.
    • 17.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Pilgrim's Progress, Act 4 Scene 2

    Singer: Gerald Finley. Singer: Adrian Thompson. Singer: Jonathan Fisher. Singer: John Kerr. Singer: Christopher Keyte. Singer: Neil Gillespie. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Chandos : CHAN9625.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Pilgrim's Progress, Act 3 Scene 1

    Singer: Gerald Finley. Singer: Roderick Williams. Singer: Mark Padmore. Singer: Jeremy White. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Chandos : CHAN9625.
    • CHANDOS.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Riders to the Sea (Where is she?)

    Conductor: Richard Hickox. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Singer: Linda Finnie.
    • Musical Heritage Society : 515178K.
    • Musical Heritage Society.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Riders to the Sea (They are all gone now)

    Conductor: Richard Hickox. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia.
    • Musical Heritage Society : 515178K.
    • Musical Heritage Society.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Job - A Masque for Dancing (excerpt)

    Conductor: Andrew Davis. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra.
    • Chandos : CHSA5180.
    • Chandos.
    • 7.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Valiant for Truth

    Performer: Timothy Brown. Choir: Clare College Cambridge Choir.
    • NAXOS : 8.572465.
    • NAXOS.
    • 2.

Broadcasts

  • Wed 11 May 2022 12:00
  • Tue 11 Oct 2022 12:00

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